The Book of Acts ~ Study Thirty-One

"Scattered"


Acts 8:4-8 (NLT) But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went. Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah. Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did. Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was great joy in that city.


In our last lesson we learned from the scripture that the persecution of church in Jerusalem was so great that many left and were scattered all over the place ~ All across Judea and Samaria. In this lesson, we learn that "the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went." They didn't leave their faith, they left Jerusalem. God used this persecution to further the cause of Christ. He wanted the Good News of Jesus to be spread. He still does today.


Do you remember what Jesus said before He ascended into heaven? If the believers stayed in Jerusalem would they be doing what Jesus had commanded them to do? Why or why not?


Mark 16:15 (NLT) And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone."


Jesus intended for the Good News to spread throughout the world. Since He has said that, the church has grown and grown and continues to grow. Each believer is told to tell others about Jesus. 


The passage today talks about Philip. Who is Philip? And what was so special about him? 
What did he do for the cause of Christ?


There were two different Philips. One was the Apostle and one was one of the seven deacons that were blessed by the apostles to care for the widows and the poor (also the poor in general) among the Greek Jews. (See Acts 6:5-6) This Philip is known as "Philip the Evangelist" and served alongside Stephen who had just been martyred. 


According to the NIV Compact Dictionary, Philip the Evangelist was a Hellenist (Greek-speaking Jew). He was an evangelist and performed signs and wonders among the people. He preached in Samaria with great success. 


What do you know about Samaria? Look at the following passages and find out:


Luke 10:30-37 (NLT) 30 Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.
   “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.
    Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’
   “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.
   The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.”
   Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”


Luke 17:11-18 (NLT) As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. As he entered a village there, ten lepers stood at a distance, crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
   He looked at them and said, "Go show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy.
   One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan.
   Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you.”


John 4:1-26 (NLT) Jesus knew the Pharisees had heard that he was baptizing and making more disciples than John (though Jesus himself didn’t baptize them—his disciples did). So he left Judea and returned to Galilee.
   He had to go through Samaria on the way. Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food.
   The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”
   Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”
   “But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?”
   Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”
   “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.”
   “Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her.
   “I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied.
   Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband—for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!”
   “Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet. So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?”
   Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”
   The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
   Then Jesus told her, “I Am the Messiah!”


Samaria was inhabited by people who were considered to be unclean by the Israelites because they were half Jewish and half Assyrian. There was great animosity between the two peoples. Samaritans worshiped God and when Jesus met the Samaritan woman many came to know Him as the Messiah. Now Philip the Evangelist went back there are preached more about the Good News of Christ and many miracles were performed.


What we get from this Biblical history lesson is to be able to put into context the correct view of our Bible. So often we don't know about the cultural aspects of the passage or its history. Philip was preaching the Good News to a people he had been taught were unapproachable. Since Jesus told them to preach to all nations, the door was now open for everyone to receive eternal life through Jesus.


Are there certain people or group of people in your life that you don't want to approach and tell the Good News to? Who are they? Why don't you want to approach them? 


Sometimes we don't approach certain groups of people because we don't know much about them or we've heard things that make us uncomfortable. Jesus wants us to step across the boundaries we may have around our hearts against certain people and share what we know about Him. We are called to love others no matter who they are.


Philip stepped out in faith and went to the Samaritans and other Gentiles. God honored that. He enabled Philip to preach and heal. God is willing and able to do the same with us. 


Step out with me and tell others, no matter who they are about Jesus. Love them as He loves them. Be Christ to the world and see what wonderful things can be done in the Name of Jesus.